Wire drawing apparatus



July 12, 1966 H. D. PRUTTON 3,250,036

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 12, 1966 Filed April 20, 1964 H. D. PRUTTON WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /2 i I I 23 o 0 l4 Fl IE a 2/ o 2 /oo camera July 12, 1966 Filed April 20, 1964 HEADEIZ HEADER HEADER H. D. PRUTTON WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fuib July 12, 1966 H. D. PRUTTQN 3,250,086

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Filed April 20. 1.964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HEADER HEADER READ 3,260,086 WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS Howard D. Prutton, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Ajax Manufacturing Company, Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 361,022 9 Claims. (Cl. 72-20) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 172,143, filed February 9, 1962, now abandoned.

This invention relates to wire drawing and more particularly to the drawing of wire immediately prior to its being supplied to a Wire utilizing apparatus, for example, a header of the type used in making bolt blanks and the like.

The specification and drawings of said application are incorporated herein by reference and there is no intention of abandoning material therein not specifically carried over into this application.

Drawing apparatus associated with wire utilizing apparatus usually comprises die and gripper units, one of which is reciprocated towards and from the other, usually the gripper unit which remains stationary. The wire is usually advanced through the gripper unit by either the feed mechanism of the wire utilizing machine or supplemental feed mechanism which may be a part of either apparatuses, as desired. The feed is usually intermittent and the drawing stroke effected between feed operations and the return or non drawing stroke effected by the feeding of the wire, that is, the advance of the wire by the feed mechanism. The length of the drawing stroke is necessarily the same as the length of stock fed upon each intermittent feeding operation.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a novel and improved method of and apparatus for drawing wire utilizing a reciprocating type drawing unit wherein the drawing stroke can be performed during the feeding operation irrespective of whether the wire is fed continuously or intermittently and wherein the length of the drawing stroke is independent of the length of the wire fed upon each feeding operation if performed intermittently.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in accordance with the preferred form thereof, a reciprocating type wire drawing unit is mounted in such a manner as to float axially so that the wire may be drawn by the die without regard to or independent of the feed operation which moves the wire through the drawing apparatus. Assuming that the drawing apparatus is being used in association with a header or other wire utilizing machinery which uses wire intermittently. The only effect of the header pulling in the wire is to pull and move the drawing unit along with the wire. For drawing the wire, hydraulic mechanism is preferably employed including a relatively moveable cylinder and piston, one of which is connected to the wire die and the other to a drawn-wire gripper or wire-holding jaws. The cylinder and piston float together with the wire die and drawn wire so that they mOVe when drawn wire is fed as being pulled into a header. The hydraulic mechanism is preferably of the double acting type and alternate reciprocations of the cylinder and piston move the drawing die and the drawn-wire gripper along the wire in a sort of hand over hand action.

Controls are provided for causing the actuation of the cylinder and piston to draw the wire in response to utlization or use of the drawn wire as indicated by movement United States Patent 7 section of thedie and wire gripper;

3,269,086 Patented July 12, 1966 of the floating drawing unit in the direction of the wire utilizing apparatus.

A better understanding of the invention will be afforded by the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a plan view partially in section with a portion of the apparatus broken away to expose a horizontal FIG. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1, also partially broken away to expose a vertical section of portions of the apparatus;

51G. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 an 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the system including the control arrangement;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams of the portions of the apparatus in different positions during the operation thereof to illustrate the principle of operation; and 1 FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams similar to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 but showing an alternative control system.

Like reference characters are utilized throughout the drawings to designate like parts.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a wire drawing apparatus or unit including a housing 11 is suspended from a horizontal rod 12 for longitudinal movement with respect to the rod 12. The rod 12 in turn is mounted by means of brackets 13 upon posts 14 which are mounted on a platform 15. The housing 11 is suspended from the rod 12 by means of a pair of straps 16 and 17 which are secured at the lower end to the housing 11. The upper ends of the straps 16 and 17 are slidably connected to the rod 12 and the straps are spaced from one another lengthwise of the rod a distance such that they are normally well spaced from the end of the rod to permit the housing 11 to move in either direction along the rod 12. l The housing 11 comprises a hydraulic fitting 18 to which enclosing cylinders 19 and 20 are secured which extend in opposite directions. The cylinder 19 extending to the right has a wire die21 supported thereby. The cylinder 20 extending toward the left has a plate 22 secured to the left hand end thereof for supporting an accumulator 23. It will be understood that in the arrangement illustrated it is assumed that a wire'utilizing machine such as a header 24 indicated in FIG. 5 is mounted to the left of the wire drawing apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 and that a wire stock roll 25 is mounted to the right.

A guide 26 for rough stock is secured to the wire die 21 and holds drawing lubricant. The wire drawing apparatus is hollow with a concentric bore so the rough stock may enter the die 21 at the right and the drawn wire may pass centrally through the apparatus extending toward the left to the header 24. A wire gripper 27, shown in section in FIG. 1, is provided for holding the drawn wire while the wire die 21 is moved relative to the wire gripper 27 against the rough stock on the roll 25. The cylinder 19 is slotted at 28 to permit longitudinal movement of the 'wire gripper 27 with respect to the cylinder 19 as portions of the gripper extendto the exterior of the cylinder. Hydraulic cylinder and piston mechanism is provided for producing relative longitudinal movement of the wire gripper 27 and the wire die 21. In the embodiment illustrated this takes the form of a cylinder 31 secured at its right hand end in the hydraulic.

3 formed between the cylinder 31 and the die 21. A hollow tube 34 fixed to the plate 22 projects to the right and is slidably received in the hollow piston rod 33. The

tube 34 forms a guide for the drawn wire 36 which extends therethrough and through the piston rod 33. The left hand end of the piston 32 is slidable upon the tube 34. The tubes also prevent the escape of fluid from the cylinder 31 through the aperture in the plate 22 through which the drawn wire passes. As an alternative construction the tubes 33 and 34 could be fixedly secured together or made as one continuous tube with the left hand end slidable in the plate 22.

The wire gripper 27 may be of any suitable type for effecting release of the drawn wire 36 when the gripper is pushed to the right, that is, towards the die, along the wire, but for effecting tight gripping engagement of the wire 36 when the wire tends to be pulled to the right with respect to the wire gripper 27 by movement of the wire die 21 with respect to the wire gripper 27 and the piston 32. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the wire gripper 27 comprises a jaw holder in the form of a block 37 with an opening therein having slanting edges to receive a pair of wire gripping jaws 40 and 41 making non-frictional contact with the block 37 by means of rollers or other non-friction means 42. For securing the jaw holding 37 to the hollow piston rod 33 a hollow carrier block 43 is provided having a transverse aperture 44 to receive the block 37. A spring 45 may be provided for urging the gripping jaws 40 and 41 toward the right.

The hydraulic fitting 18 has an annular cavity 46 with a threaded external opening 47 for connection to a-flexible hose 48 supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the cylinder 31 is provided with perforations 50 along the periphery thereof within the annular cavity 46 to provide access between the interior of the cylinder 31 and the hydraulic line 48. The piston 32 is undercut also at the right hand end thereof in order that the hydraulic pressure may be applied to the right hand side of the piston 32 and drive the fitting 18 and the die connected thereto to the right when sufficient pressure is applied from the hydraulic line 48.

The plate 22 is spaced slightly from the left hand end of the cylinder 31 in order to provide a passageway, and the plate 22 is recessed at 51 in order to provide a passageway represented by the arrow 52 into the interior of the accumulator 23-. A purge opening 53 for the accumulator 23 is provided in the plate 22. It will be understood, however, that the purge opening 53 is normally closed by a plug, not shown.

For producing the hydraulic pressure there is a pump 59 of the pressure relief type driven by an electric motor 60, see FIG. 4. The pump 59, for example, may be a variable-volume, variable-pressure pump such as sold by the Racine Pump Company with its own overload relief.

As shown schematically in FIG. 4 the pump 59 is arranged to pump a suitable hydraulic fluid such as oil out of a tank 62 into the flexible hose 48. Suitable means are provided for controlling the application of pressure in the pump 59'to the cylinder 31 to the right of the piston 32 responsive to motion of the assembly including housing 11 along the supporting rod 12. In the embodiment illustrated it takes the form of a 4-way mechanical valve 63 controlling a pilot line which in turn controls a check valve 64 which normally prevents discharge of fluid pressure into the tank 62 but may be opened to unload the line 48 and permit the piston 32 to move to the right under the effect of air under pressure in the accumulator 23.

As represented by the conventional symbol employed in FIG. 4 of the drawing, the valve 63 is of a mechanically-operated, detent type which is held by ball detents in one or the other of two on or operating positions between which it is moved by an actuating arm or lever 65 deflected by motion of the assembly including the housing 11. The valve 63 has an intermediate closed position between its two operating positions into and out of which it can be moved by hand, if desired. In one position of the arm 65, that illustrated in FIG. 2, a connection is made in the valve 63 between the pressure port P and the blocked port X of the valve 63, and likewise a connection is made between the cylinder port C and the tank port T of the valve 63. On the other hand, when the arm 65 is deflected to the right, approximately 90 from the position shown in FIG. 2, a direct connection is made between the cylinder port C and the pressure port P, and a direct connection is made between the blocked port X and the tank port T.

In addition to the valve 63 and the check valve 64 the hydraulic power system includes a T-connection 66 between a line 67 from the pump 59, the line 48 and a line 68 connected to the check valve 64 having an outlet 69 into the tank 62. 7

There are control or pilot line connections which include a line 71 through a check valve 72 joined by a line 73 and a T 74 to an accumulator 7'5 and a line 76 to the pressure port P of the control valve 63. The check valve 72, shown as being of the spring-pressed ball type, is so connected as to permit flow of oil from the line 71 to the line 73 but to check flow of oil in the reverse direction.

The check valve 64 is also of the spring-pressed ball type connected to check flow of hydraulic fluid from the line 68 to the line 69 but to open when the check ball 77 is pressed to the left. For this purpose there is a hydraulic operator '78 having a piston (not shown) mechanically connected to the ball 77 by a piston rod 79 and a cylinder connected by a line 81 to the cylinder port C of the control valve 63. The tank port T of the control valve 63 is connected by a line 82 to the tank 62.

If desired, the vertical posts 14 of FIG. 2 may be so mounted as to be adjustable in vetrical height in order to accommodate the wire drawing apparatus to different headers or other wire utilizing apparatus having drawn wire inlets at different heights. For this purpose vertical hollow cylindrical sockets 83 are mounted in the platform 15. The vertical sockets 83 are adapted to receive the posts 14. For setting the posts 14 at different adjustable heights, suitable means such as pins 84 cooperating with horizontal holes 85 in the posts 14 are provided, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3.

Lugs 86 and 87 are provided for actuating the deflecting arm 65 of the control valve 63 when the assembly is moved in response to a demand for drawn wire from the wire utilizing apparatus 24. The lugs 86 and 87 are moveably mounted on the assembly including the housing 11 to make allowance for relative movement of the piston 32 and the cylinder 31. In order to produce the proper relationship between the position of the lugs 86 and 87 and the other elements of the apparatus, the lugs 86 and 77 are mounted upon the chain 88. In this manner allowance is made for the position of the piston with respect to the cylinder.

A pair of sprocket wheels 90 and 91 are provided for supporting the chain 88. The sprockets 90 and 91 are rotatably mounted upon brackets 92 and 93, carried by the housing 11 and are therefore fixed in position relative to the drawing die 21. The lower side of the chain 88 is at th elevel of the shifting lever 65 of the control valve 63 and the lugs 86 and 87 are at the lower side of the chain and the lower side of the sprockets 90 and 91 when the control valve lever 65 is engaged by them.

The upper side of the chain, however, is secured to the wire gripper 27. This is accomplished by means of a pin 94 connected to the block 43 and extending through one of the slots 28 in the cylinder 19. The pin 94 has an outer end 95 to which opposite ends of the chain 88 are connected by tension springs 97 and 98. The control valve lever 65 is slotted or has a hole therein through which the sprocket chain 88 passes but which will not allow the lugs 86 and 88 to pass by the lever. Damage to the chain, etc. is prevented, however, by the springs 97 and 98 in the event of movement of or attempted movement of the chain in the valve actuating directs the subsequent to the actuation of the control valve by one of the lugs 86 and 87.

The control valve 63 is mounted upon a bracket 100 having an elongated foot 101 bolted to the table 102 of the platform 15.

The operation is indicated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. For

the sake of explanation, it is assumed that initially the housing 11 carrying the cylinder 20 and the die 21 is in a position to the right of that illustrated in FIG. 2. It is assumed that the header 24 then makes successive demands for drawn wire, pulling in increments of the wire 36 and causing the entire assembly carried by the rod 12 to move to the left until finally it reaches the left-hand position represented in FIGS. 2 and 6.

, Up to this time the valve 63 has been in the position shown in FIG. 4 and no relative movement has taken place between the piston 32 and the cylinder 31 or between the die 21 and the wire gripper 27, both being relatively close together. During this period of time the lugs 86 and 87 have been in the position relative to the movable assembly illustrated in FIG. 5. Just before the movable assembly has reached the position of FIG. 6, however, the lug 87 engaged the movable arm 65 causing it to shift 90 from the position of FIG. toward the left to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6. This causes a direction connection to take place between the cylinder port C and the tank port T of the valve 63, illustrated in FIG. 4, permitting the ball 77 of the check valve 64 to seat, cutting off the relief of presure from the line 67 through the line 69 to the tank 62 and applying pressure through the line 48 to the piston 32. The application of fluid pressure to the cylinder 31 to the right of the piston 32, the wire 36 and the wire gripper 27 stands stationary. Consequently, the piston 32 also stands stationary and the cylinder 31 is moved to the right carrying the wire die 21 to the right with it. This causes the assembly including the cylinders 19, 20 and 31 to move or push the wire die 21 over the rough stock of the roll 25 producing an additional length of drawn wire 36.

Movement of the assembly including the cylinders 19 and 20 carries the sprocket wheels 90 and 91 with it. However, the wire gripper 27 remaining relatively stationary causes the upper side of the chain 88 also to remain stationary so that the chain rolls around the sprockets 90 and 91 as they move to the right, moving the lower side of the chain to the right. The lugs 86 and 87 therefore also move to the right. When the lug has moved to the right a predetermined distance which represents a full drawing stroke, it engages the shifting lever 65 of the control valve 63 moving the lever 65 to the right so that it is in the position of FIG. 7. This action produces a direct connection between the cylinder port C and the pressure port P of the control valve 63 permitting pressure from the accumulator 75 to act upon the cylinder 78 for lifting the check valve 77 from the seat of the check valve unit 64. This permits the pressure of the pump 59 to be discharged into the tank 62 through the line 67 and removes pressure from the righthand side .of the piston 32 of the cylinder 31. Accordingly, the air pressure stored in the accumulator 23 is sufficient to move the piston 32 in the cylinder 31 restoring it to the .position relative to the die shown in FIG. 5. The lugs 86 and 87 are likewise restored to the positions illustrated in FIG. 5. The shifting lever 65 of the control valve 63 remains in the right-hand position of FIGS. 5 and 7, however, owing to the fact that the valve 63 is of the'detent type.

If, meanwhile, there has been a demand for drawn wire 36 from the header 24, this will not effect the relative movement of the piston 32 and cylinder 31. Conceivably, the drawing stroke could be initiated before the gripper 27 reached its normal position relative to the die 22 if the length of wire fed upon each feeding cycle of the header approached the length of the normal drawing stroke but this would not be the normal situation and would merely shorten the succeeding drawing stroke. Obviously, the length of the drawing stroke is preferably two or three times greater than the length of wire fed upon each feeding cycle. The length of the drawing stroke can be varied within the full stroke or range of movement of the piston 32 in the cylinder 31 by changing the positions of the lugs 86 and 87 on the sprocket chain 88.

Usually the drawn wire 36 will be sufliciently stiff so that while the cylinder and piston are being actuated in their power or drawing stroke, the gripper 27 will not move to the left in the absence of a normal feeding operation and push the wire towards the header and loop or bend the wire between the drawing apparatus and the header but the cylinder and die will move to the right. The stiffness of the rough stock in the roll 25 and the resistance to uncoiling of the rough stock of the coil 25 also serve to prevent the assembly or the piston from moving to the left toward the header 24 except when the header is pulling in drawn wire.

When the valve control lever 65 has been shifted to the right so as to change the connection of the control valve 63 and take pressure off the piston 32, to effect the return stroke, inertia holds the cylinder 31 relatively stationary while the piston 32 and the piston rod, piston rod 33, which is hollow, move over the drawn wire 36 to the right unlocking the jaws 40 and 41 of the wire gripper 27 so that it also moves to the right over the drawn wire 36. If desired, to insure that the cylinder 31 will remain stationary when no wire 36 is being pulled in by the header 24, a second wire gripper (not shown) may be mounted at the lefthand end of the cylinder 20, so connected that it releases the wire 36 when the cylinder 31 is driven to the right during the power stroke of the cylinder 31 and piston 32.

While in the preferred embodiment shown herein, the piston 32 and the gripper 27, associated therewith, are returned to their original position relative to the die 21 after the completion of a drawing stroke by air pressure built up in the accumulator 23, it will be understood that the accumulator may be eliminated and the return movement of the piston and gripper effected by the application of hydraulic fluid under pressure to the right-hand end of the cylinder 31.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are similar to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 of the preferred embodiment butshow an alternative control arrangement. As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the valve 63 is solenoid operated and shifted from one to the other of its positions, previously referred to, by switches 110, 111. The switch 110 is mounted on the frame of the apparatus in such a manner that as the drawing assembly 11 is moved toward the left by drawn wire being fed into the header or wire utilizing apparatus, the switch will be actuated by the assembly upon the assemblys reaching a predetermined position toward the left to shift the valve 63 to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, that is, to the position corresponding to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 of the preferred embodiment. This allows the check valve 64 to seat and pressure to be applied to the righthand side of the piston 32 to advance or push the die 21 along the undrawn stock, as previously described. At a predetermined point in the movement of the die along the undrawn wire away from the gripper or grip box 27, the switch 111, carried by the assembly 11, willbe actuated by its engagement against a stop 112 carried by the grip box. Actuation of the switch 111 reverses theposition of the valve 63 unseating the check valve 64 and allowing the air pressure in the accumulator 23 to return the piston 32 and the gripper 27 connected thereto to its initial position relative to the drawing die 21. The fact that a feeding operation may take place during the drawing stroke or the return stroke of the gripper to its position adjacent to the die has no material efl ect upon the operation of the device.

4 From the foregoing description of the preferred apparatus for practicing the invention, it will be apparent that the drawing forces are restricted to the floating drawing unit and that it is not necessary to provide a heavy frame or supporting structure. Standard parts can be used to a large extent in the construction of apparatus for drawing various sizes of wire and/or having drawing strokes of various length which further decreases the construction cost of the apparatus. While hydraulic fluid is used in the preferred embodiment to effect the drawing stroke, it will be apparent that air pressure could be substituted for hydraulic pressure particularly in the smaller size machines. The use of reciprocating-type fluid pressure actuated motor means to effect the drawing stroke is particularly advantageous because by its use the drawing stroke can be effected at a uniform speed or rate throughout the stroke and there is practically no limit to the length of the drawing stroke that can be economically provided. Drawing strokes of a length heretofore considered impossible are readily available. The invention provides a very practical, flexible and inexpensive design which is in many if not all respects superior to prior designs of drawing apparatus.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle of operation of the invention has been described together with the apparatus now believed to represent the best embodiment thereof, but it is to be understood that the apparatus shown and described is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other arrangements.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for drawing wire from stock comprising in combination a wire die and a wire gripper relatively movable with respect to each other, means for applying force between the wire gripper and the wire die for causing the die to pass along the length of stock for producing drawn wire from the stock, whereby drawn wire may be pulled from the apparatus from time to time without regard to the length of stroke of the wire drawing apparatus and unrelated to the rate of repetition of the stroke of the wire drawing apparatus, said gripper and die comprising a floating assembly shiftable in opposite directions with the gripper being located on the die-exit side of said wire die, and means responsive to movement of the gripper and die floating assembly for actuating the first named means to maintain a supply of drawn wire available for pulling from the apparatus.

2. In drawing apparatus for continuous linear stock: a support means; drawing means comprising a pair of drawing components for drawing continuous stock; means for operatively connecting said drawing components to said support means for movement relative to one another lengthwise of the stock; one of said components comprising a die means for drawing the stock during drawing traverse between said die means and the stock and the other of said components com-prising a grip device located on the die-exit side of said die means for gripping the stock during the drawing traverse; said components having opening and closing relative movements along the stock for causing said drawing traverse; means for producing said opening and closing movements of said components along the stock; and means controlling the actuation of said last-named means as a function of the position of at least one of said drawing components in said support means.

3. In drawing apparatus for linear stock: a support means; drawing means comprising a pair of drawing components each carried by said support means for movement relative thereto lengthwise of the stock; one of said components comprising a die means for drawing the stock during drawing traverse between said die component and the stock and the other of said components comprising a grip device located on the die-exit side of said die means for gripping the stock during the drawing traverse; said components having opening and closing relative movements along the stock for causing said drawing traverse; power means for producing said opening movement of said components along the stock; and means for controlling said opening movement of said components along the stock as a function of the position of at least one of said drawing components in said support means.

4. In drawing apparatus for continuous linear stock: a support means; drawing means comprising a pair of drawing components carried by said support means for movement relative to one another lengthwise of the stock; one of said components comprising a die means for drawing the stock during drawing traverse between said die means and the stock and the other of said components comprising a grip device located on the die-exit side of said die means for gripping the stock during the drawing traverse; said components having opening and closing relative movements along the stock for causing said drawing traverse; hydraulic pressure fluid responsive power means comprising cooperating piston and cylinder members for producing said opening movement of said components along the stock; and means for controlling the flow of fluid to said power means as a function of the position of at least one of said drawing components in said support means.

5. In drawing apparatus for linear stock: a support means; drawing means carried by said support means and comprising a pair of drawing components on said support means; one of said components comprising a die means for drawing the stock during drawing traverse between said die means and the stock, and the other of said components comprising a grip device located on the die-exit side of said die means for gripping the stock during the drawing traverse; said components having opening and closing relative movements along the axis of said stock for causing said drawing traverse in one direction and a return movement in the opposite direction, double-acting hydraulic pressure fluid responsive power means comprising reciprocably co-operable cylinder and piston power members for opening said components and producing the drawing traverse movement and said return movement; said cylinder member having cylinder chambers therein on opposite sides of said piston member; one of said power members being operatively connected with one of said components and the other being operatively connected with the other of said components; and hydraulic pressure fluid supply means connected with said cylinder member including valve means responsive to predetermined relative movement between said cylinder and piston members for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of said cylinder member.

6. In drawing apparatus for continuous linear stock: a support means; a drawing unit comprising a pair of drawing components and means for producing opening and closing relative movement between said components for drawing continuous stock; and means for operatively connecting said drawing unit to said support means for movement relative thereto lengthwise of the stock; one of said components comprising a die means for drawing the stock during drawing traverse between said die means and the stock and the other of said components comprising a grip device located on the die-exit side of said die means for gripping the stock during the drawing traverse.

7. In a method of supplying drawn wire to a wire utilizing apparatus the steps of pulling with the advancing drawn wire, wire stock to be drawn and a movable wire drawing unit comprising die and gripper components with the grip per component being located on the die-exit side of said die component and means for alternatively producing relative movement between said die and gripper components along the wire in the direction opposite to that in which the wire is moved whereby the wire stock is drawn, and producing said relative movements as :a function of the movement of the drawing unit with the Wire.

8. In a method of supplying drawn wire to a wire utilizing apparatus the steps of pulling with the advancing drawn wire, wire stock to be drawn and a movable wire drawing unit comprising die and gripper components with the gripper component being located on the die-exit side of said die component and fluid pressure actuated means for alternatively producing relative movement between the die and gripper components along the wire in a direction opposite to that in which the wire is moved whereby the wire stock is drawn, and actuating said fluid pressure actuated means as a function of the movement of the drawing unit with the wire.

9. In a method of supplying drawn wire stock to a wire utilizing apparatus the steps of intermittently pulling drawn wire, moving with the advancing drawn wire, wire stock and a movable drawing unit comprising die and gripper components with the gripper component being located on the die-exit side of said die component and reciprocating type fluid actuated means for moving said components relative to one another in a predetermined sequence along the wire in the direction opposite to that in which the wire is advanced to produce drawn wire and in amounts greater than the amount the Wire stock is advanced during any one intermittent advancing cycle and effecting said movements of said components relative to one another along said wire as a function of the position of said movable drawing unit along the path of travel of the wire.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 345,816 7/ 1886 Tilghman 205----5 2,880,854 4/1959 Friedman 20516 3,017,016 1/1962 Ehlert 20 513 3,195,336 7/1965 Lindemann 7272 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. H. D. HOINKES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE FROM STOCK COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A WIRE DIE AND A WIRE GRIPPER RELATIVELY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER,MEANS FOR APPLYING FORCE BETWEEN THE WIRE GRIPPER AND THE WIRE DIE FOR CAUSING THE DIE TO PASS ALONG THE LENGTH OF STOCK FOR PRODUCING DRAWN WIRE FROM THE STOCK, WHEREBY DRAWN WIRE MAY BE PULLED FROM THE APPARATUS FROM TIME TO TIME WITHOUT REGARD TO THE LENGTH OF STROKE OF THE WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS AND UNRELATED TO THE RATE OF REPETITION OF THE STROKE OF THE WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS, SAID GRIPPER, AND DIE COMPRISING A FLOATING ASSEMBLY SHIFTABLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WITH THE GRIPPER BEING LOCATED ON THE DIE-EXIT SIDE OF SAID WIRE DIE, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF THE GRIPPER AND DIE FLOATING ASSEMBLY FOR ACTUATING THE FIRST NAMED MEANS TO MAINTAIN A SUPPLY OF DRAWN WIRE AVAILABLE FOR PULLING FROM THE APPARATUS. 